Pope Tawadros II supports initiative for unified Easter celebration date worldwide
El-Sayed Gamal El-Din , Sunday 16 Mar 2025 Ahram Online
Head of Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II expressed on Saturday his support for the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO) proposal to establish a unified date for Easter celebrations among all Christians worldwide.
IAO Secretary General Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos and a high-level delegation from the assembly presented the proposal during a meeting with Pope Tawadros II in Cairo.
During the meeting, the pope explained that the Church of Alexandria has been responsible for determining the date of Easter each year, as established by the Council of Nicaea in 325.
He added that Pope Alexander, one of the patriarchs who attended the council, and his successors, such as Pope Athanasius, continued this tradition. They announce the Easter date annually through the Easter Letter sent to churches worldwide.
Pope Tawadros also highlighted the Church of Alexandria's three criteria historically used to determine Easter: it must fall after the spring equinox, after (but not during or before) the Jewish Passover, and on a Sunday.
Moreover, he noted that the Western church generally celebrates Easter without considering the timing of the Jewish Passover, whereas the Eastern tradition acknowledges the symbolism of Passover before celebrating Easter.
The pope expressed his hope that this year’s shared Easter celebration would pave the way for a unified date in the future.
For his part, the IAO’s secretary-general commended Pope Tawadros for his efforts in supporting Christians in Africa and the Middle East.
He emphasized that his visit to Egypt was a special experience. He and the delegation had the opportunity to visit several sacred sites, and he praised Egypt’s rich historical heritage.
The IAO delegation’s visit comes at an invitation from the Egyptian parliament and is part of the Orthodox Parliamentary Assembly's official programme, which runs from 10 to 17 March.
Easter, a Christian holiday, represents the most important and joyous event in Christianity.
It does not have a fixed date and is celebrated between March and April on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox.
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